Vise for tubular articles

ABSTRACT

A vise for tubular articles which grips the tubular article from the inside to present an unobstructed outer surface for working. The vise comprises a base on which a hollow, tubular mandrel is horizontally mounted. A flat cam member is mounted within the mandrel adjacent the front end and pivoted on a pin extending transversely through the mandrel. A second pivot pin is mounted transversely further along the mandrel, and the rear end of an air cylinder is pivotally mounted on the second pin. The outer end of the piston, extending from the air cylinder, is pivotally attached to the top of the flat cam. The cam is pivoted just above a slot in the mandrel, so that movement of the cam will cause it to swing into and out of the mandrel through the slot. Reciprocation of the piston controls the pivotal movement of the cam. A short post is pivoted to the bottom edge of the cam spaced from the cam pivot. An arcuate shoe is mounted on the bottom of the post, so that when the cam is in withdrawn position the shoe is nested against the lower outer surface of the mandrel. When a piece of tubular work is slipped over the mandrel, actuation of the cylinder and its piston causes the cam to pivot downwardly and force the shoe against the inner surface of the tubular work to hold it in position. Movement of the piston in the opposite direction will release the work.

United States Patent [191 Nelson 1 Sept. 24, 1974 VISE FOR TUBULAR ARTICLES [75] Inventor: Howard F. Nelson, South Attleboro,

Mass.

[73] Assignee: George Lemieux, Pawtucket, RI. a

part interest [22] Filed: Feb. 8, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 330,729

Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner-Mark S. Bicks Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Salter & Michaelson [5 7] ABSTRACT A vise for tubular articles which grips the tubular article from the inside to present an unobstructed outer surface for working. The vise comprises a base on which a hollow, tubular mandrel is horizontally mounted. A flat cam member is mounted within the mandrel adjacent the front end and pivoted on a pin extending transversely through the mandrel. A second pivot pin is mounted transversely further along the mandrel, and the rear end of an air cylinder is pivotally mounted on the second pin. The outer end of the piston, extending from the air cylinder, is pivotally attached to the top of the flat cam. The cam is pivoted just above a slot in the mandrel, so that movement of the cam will cause it to swing into and out of the mandrel through the slot. Reciprocation of the piston controls the pivotal movement of the cam. A short post is pivoted to the bottom edge of the cam spaced from the cam pivot. An arcuate shoe is mounted on the bottom of the post, so that when the cam is in withdrawn position the shoe is nested against the lower outer surface of the mandrel. When a piece of tubular work is slipped over the mandrel, actuation of the cylinder and its piston causes the cam to pivot downwardly and force the shoe against the inner surface of the tubular work to hold it in position. Movement of the piston in the opposite direction will release the work.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures VISE FOR TUBULAR ARTICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is sometimes necessary to do machine work on a tubular article which must be rigidly held during the work. Usually, such an article can be positioned in a conventional vise. However, it is often difficult to work the entire surface of the tubular article because of the vise. Furthermore, where heavy cutting is to be done, the gripping action of the vise may injure the tubular article with the external pressure. As a result, many devices have been used for holding and protecting a tubular article in a vise while it is being worked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention eliminates the disadvantages of holding a tubular article in a conventional vise by providing a special vise construction for the tubular article which clamps and holds the article from the inside. This leaves an unobstructed surface for working the article, and prevents any injury which may be caused by the clamping of the vise. The device consists of a suitable base on which a horizontal, tubular, hollow mandrel is mounted. Adjacent the front of the mandrel, a flat cam member is pivotally mounted. Further along the mandrel, an air or hydraulic cylinder is pivotally mounted with the outer end of its piston pivoted to the top of the cam. Reciprocation of the pistoncauses the cam to pivot into and out of the mandrel through a slot provided in the wall of the latter. A short post or support is pivoted to the bottom of the cam and extends through the slot. An arcuate shoe is mounted on the post. When the cam is pivoted upwardly into the mandrel, it pulls the shoe up against the outer surface of the mandrel. Now, when a tubular article is slipped over the front of the mandrel, the cylinder is actuated to pivot the cam downwardly and move the shoe against the inside of the tubular article. This clamps the tubular article between the top of the mandrel and the shoe. The article is thus held from the inside.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a vise embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with a tubular article in clamped position on the vise.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring more in detail to the drawings, the vise is preferably mounted on a heavy base having a solid vertical support portion 11. The base 10 may be mounted on a shop table or the bed of a lathe or other machine tool. A hollow, tubular mandrel 13 is horizontally mounted on the post 11 adjacent the rear end of the mandrel, see FIG. 1. The mandrel 13 is preferably permanently attached to the post 11 as by welding at 14. Y

The bottom portion of the mandrel l3, spaced from provided with an opening adjacent the left corner, FIG.

1, for pivotally mounting on the pin 16.

The top narrow end of the cam 17 is pivotally attached as at 28 to the outer end of a piston member 18 mounted at the end of a piston 19 extending from an air cylinder 20. At the rear end, the cylinder 20 is pivotally mounted on a pin 21 extending transversely across the mandrel 13. Air pressure is supplied to the cylinder 20 through hoses 22 and 23 at the front and rear, the hoses 22 and 23 extending through suitable openings 24 in the top of the mandrel l3.

Clamping action is provided by an arcuate shoe 25 located below the slot 15. The shoe 25 is provided with a short, vertical supporting post 26 which is pivotally attached as at 29 to the bottom of the cam 17 at the right comer, FIG. 1, spaced from the pivot pin 16. With this arrangement, and with the parts assembled as the front end, is provided with a slotopening 15. Just above the slot 15, a pivot pin 16 is mounted transversly across the mandrel 13. A flat, generally triangular cam 17 is mounted in the mandrel 13 in a plane parallel to the axis of the mandrel. The wide end of the cam 17 is shown in FIG. 1, the cam 17 is in a vertical position, and the shoe 25 is drawn up against the bottom surface of the mandrel 13.

In operation (see FIG. 3), a tubular article 27 is slipped over the front end of the mandrel. Air pressure is directed into the cylinder 20 through hose 22 in a conventional manner, not shown, causing the piston 19 to move to the right, The member 18 pulls the top of the cam 17 to the right about the pivot pin 16. This causes the right side of the cam 17 to swing downwardly through the slot 15, pushing the support 26 and shoe 25 down against the inside of the tubular article 27. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the article is nowfirmly held on the mandrel 13 by the clamping action of the shoe 25 which pulls the tubular article 27 against the top of the mandrel 13. To release the article, air is directed through hose 23 to move the piston 19 back into the position shown in FIG. 1 to lift the shoe from the article.

The above construction thus provides a vise for tubular articles which quickly clamps and holds the article without obstructing the outer surface, leaving it free for machining. The vise also holds the article without distortion or marking. The air cylinder 20 can be readily operated from a conventional handvalve or similar controls; and while air is specified, the cylinder 20 and associatedpiston 19 can be hydraulically operated.

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A vise for tubular articles comprising a base, a mandrel comprising an elongated hollow unitary cylindrical wall extending from said base, an opening in said wall, a cam member pivotally mounted within said mandrel adjacent said opening, an arcuate shoe positioned entirely outside of said opening in overlying relation with respect thereto, a link interconnecting said shoe and said cam member, actuating means within said mandrel connected to said cam, means mounting said actuating means for longitudinal movement along the longitudinal axis of said mandrel between a first position wherein said cam member and said link hold said shoe in close engagement with the outer surface of said mandrel and a second position wherein said shoe is held outwardly disposed with respect to said mandrel.

2. The vise of claim 1, further characterized in that said actuating means comprises a cylinder and piston.

member, an arcuate shoe positioned entirely outside of said opening in overlying relation with respect thereto, a link pivotally connected to said cam member at one end and connected to said shoe at its other end, whereby operation of said cylinder and piston causes said cam member to move between a first position wherein said shoe is held in close engagement with the outer surface of said mandrel, and a second position wherein said shoe is held outwardly disposed with respect to said mandrel. 

1. A vise for tubular articles comprising a base, a mandrel comprising an elongated hollow unitary cylindrical wall extending from said base, an opening in said wall, a cam member pivotally mounted within said mandrel adjacent said opening, an arcuate shoe positioned entirely outside of said opening in overlying relation with respect thereto, a link interconnecting said shoe and said cam member, actuating means within said mandrel connected to said cam, means mounting said actuating means for longitudinal movement along the longitudinal axis of said mandrel between a first position wherein said cam memBer and said link hold said shoe in close engagement with the outer surface of said mandrel and a second position wherein said shoe is held outwardly disposed with respect to said mandrel.
 2. The vise of claim 1, further characterized in that said actuating means comprises a cylinder and piston.
 3. The vise of claim 1, further characterized in that only one shoe and cam member are provided.
 4. A vise for tubular articles comprising a base, a mandrel comprising an elongated, hollow unitary cylindrical wall extending from said base, a cylinder and piston pivotally mounted within said mandrel and extending longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of said mandrel, a shaft extending across said mandrel, a cam member pivotally mounted on said shaft, means pivotally connecting said cam member to the free end of said piston, an opening in said mandrel adjacent said cam member, an arcuate shoe positioned entirely outside of said opening in overlying relation with respect thereto, a link pivotally connected to said cam member at one end and connected to said shoe at its other end, whereby operation of said cylinder and piston causes said cam member to move between a first position wherein said shoe is held in close engagement with the outer surface of said mandrel, and a second position wherein said shoe is held outwardly disposed with respect to said mandrel. 